Calendar
The Elven calendar divides the year into eight parts, collectively called savaeds; most of them share the name with the holiday that starts them. The elven New Year is celebrated on Saovine. Savaeds Savaed is the name that is used to refer to any of the eight parts of the elven year. Some of them are named after the holiday that kicks them off. :* Saovine :* Yule :* Imbolc :* Birke :* Blathe :* Feainn :* Lammas :* Velen Solar Holidays There are four holidays which date is connected with the activity of the Sun. Solstices The longest night and the longest day of the year are observed as festivals on their own right in the elven calendar. Midwinter - Midwinter is the day of the winter solstice, celebrated as part of the elven year. Being the longest night of the year, it's considered to be infused with magic. It marks the beginning of the second savaed, Yule. Midsummer - Midsummer is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, celebrated as part of the elven year. It marks the beginning of the sixth savaed in the elven calendar, Feainn. Equinoxes Equinoxes are the days when night and day are of equal length. They are celebrated as part of the elven calendar. Birke - Birke is the spring equinox, beginning around March 20, the first day of a year when daytime and night are of approximately equal duration. It's a celebration that marks the end of the savaed Imbolc and the beginning of the savaed with the same name, fourth of eight in the elven calendar. The second equinox day is the fall or autumnal equinox, called velen. Observed initially by elves, it was adopted by humans and has become an important holiday on their calendar. An important event was the day of Birke in the year 1133 when the Prophet Lebioda preached to his followers under the big oak tree in Borowa Klauza, Emblonia. On each Birke day, the closing ceremony of the novitiate connected with admission to Melitele's priesthood was organised. It is associated with the leaving of winter, coming of spring and the dawn; time of rebirth and great fertility. Days begin to become longer than the nights. Festivals among the common people start with rites chasing away the winter; people burn or drown effigies symbolizing winter with bringing the noise of clattering and rattling of rattles, singing and playing all sorts of instruments. The distal portion of preparations is related with greeting of spring. Bonfires are lit, youth set off on a meadow and into the woods in search of willow and hazel twigs, of which they erect constructions for topping out. In order to run out an old, nested evil, people ventilates and clean their houses and farmyards, wash and prepare fresh clothing. The whole farm is walked around and incensed by herbaceous incenses. Is carried out planting flowers, trees and herbs. Festive pastries are baked, and eggs are painted to bring to the homes energy and zest for life, to ensure a good harvest and fortune for the whole growing season. Culmination of the festival is making festive feasts combined with singing, dancing and giving away painted eggs. In some regions, the day after main fest is celebrated between youth by throwing water and spanking each other with pussy willow branches. Velen - Velen (not to be confused with the region) is the autumnal equinox. It's a holiday which gives the name to the eighth, and last savaed of the elven calendar and is usually marked with a harvest feast. Lunar Holidays Four other holidays takes place during a new moon. Imbaelk - Imbaelk, also known as Imbolc, is celebrated in February as according to the elven calendar, giving a name to the third savaed of the year. It heralds the end of winter. The holiday is a festival of the hearth and home, and a celebration of the lengthening days and the early signs of spring - that's the reason why Imbaelk is often called "Sprouting" in Common Speech. Celebrations often involve hearthfires, special foods, divination or watching for omens, lighting candles or a bonfire if the weather permitted. Fire and purification is an important part of the festival. The lighting of candles and fires represents the return of warmth and the increasing power of the Sun over the coming months. In some regions blessed candles are lit during storms and placed in windows to ward off thunders. Imbaelk is also traditionally a time of weather divination - people are making predictions about weather in the coming year. Belleteyn - Belleteyn''' or Beltane, is a fertility festival. It is also a traditional time to begin (or end) relationships of a physical nature. Food, drink and love are the order of the evening making this celebration a time of many marriages. Bonfires abound, and revellers are encouraged to jump the flames for luck and their own fertility. This holiday of the elven calendar marks the beginning of the fifth savaed, Blathe. Lammas - Lammas or Lughnasadh 'is the harvest-holiday also called the "''Feste of the Scythe". In the elven calendar, Lammas begins the seventh savaed. Saovine - Saovine or Samhain is a holiday of the elven calendar celebrated by both humans as well as elves. It marks the beginning of the new year, and the first savaed, with which it shares the name. People have taken a habit to burn a figure representing Falka, a famous rebel, on a bonfire during the Saovine. It's considered bad luck to play an instrument or enter a graveyard during the time between Saovine and Imbolc. It's also believed that a child born during the time between the two holidays will become a striga. Banshees appear on Saovine night, crying for those who will die during the following year. Conversion Tables * These conversion tables are based on the assumption that a year in the Witcher world is 365/366 days long and that the astrological and mythological phenomena happen at about the same time of the year as in the northern hemisphere of our own world. * As is common with calendars, astrological and mythological holidays have been moved to a fixed date. Elven to Gregorian Gregorian to Elven